Jasmine Wind is made by our dear friend Mr. Xie Yuanzai (謝元在). Mr. Xie is a wonderful organic farmer in Mingjian who grows MOA-certified organic teas. He started a co-op that trains other farmers to produce organic tea and then buys up all of their output, which is all sold collectively. This incentivizes farmers to make the changes the environment and the world need by providing them the training and the financial security to do so. Jasmine Wind is a newer project that the co-op has developed. They infuse two separate flowers into an oolong tea by hand. Though we named this tea “Jasmine Wind,” it is actually infused first with wild gardenia flowers. The flowers are laid across the wet leaves in a tray for around an hour and then piled in layers in a basket while the tea is oxidizing. Then, after the tea is fired, rolled and partially dried, it is infused again at a later date with jasmine flowers. Some of the blossoms are then dried with the tea. The light fragrance of the jasmine and the heavier gardenia work well together. It is usually allowed to rest for around a year, letting the fragrance and roast mellow. This Jasmine Wind was produced in the late spring of 2022. A lot of Jasmine teas are overpowering, with a floral fragrance that is too strong and overpowers the tea. Jasmine Wind is much more balanced, healthy and feels great at this time of year. We recommend brewing it light, so try using a bit less than you do for other oolong teas. You also might not want to use your favorite pot and be sure to remove the leaves immediately after the session is done so the tea won’t leave behind a smell of flowers. [split] Gardenia & Jasmine Blossom Oolong
